Pumpkin Swirl Gingersnap Cheesecake Recipe

Pumpkin Swirl Gingersnap Cheesecake is the best pumpkin cheesecake recipe ever. It is also an easy pumpkin cheesecake to make.

Pumpkin cheesecake with gingersnap crusts an experience in rich warm flavors dancing on your taste buds. The delicate swirling of the pumpkin in the cheesecake makes a beautifully festive holiday dessert.

The recipe was created by Tacy Parker of Oregon. She was inspired by Williams Sonoma Pumpkin Gingersnap cheesecake recipe but decided to still keep a blend of graham crackers. Then she blended vanilla and pumpkin cheesecake flavors together to produce this outstanding cheesecake. It is fun to get creative with cheesecake flavors! Thank you Tacy!

* To quickly bring cream cheese to room temperature, place unwrapped packages in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 to 45 seconds or until slightly softened. Do not let it melt or get warm. Refrigerate if it does.

NOTE: Use a conventional oven rather than a convection oven in baking your cheesecake. The forced hot air from the convection oven causes too much browning and can often cause the center of the cheesecake to collapse.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and position rack in center of oven (too high or too low of rack placement will cause baking problems). Lightly grease (butter) a 10-inch springform pan.

Prepare Gringersnap Crust; bake and then set aside to cool before using.

In a large bowl, add the cream cheese, sugar, and flour. Using an electric mixer, beat until smooth. Using low speed, add the 5 eggs, one at a time (beating after each addition. Then beat in the vanilla extract. Transfer 2-1/2 cups of this plain batter to a separate bowl; set aside.

To the remaining batter, add 1 egg, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and pumpkin puree. Over low speed, beat until just combined. Do not over beat the mixture. You want to avoid beating air into the mixture. Too much air will make the cheesecake fall.

Pour 1/2 of pumpkin batter over the prepared Gingersnap Crust in the springform pan. Spoon 1/2 of the plain batter over pumpkin layer. Repeat layering until all batter is used.

Using a long knife or the back of a spoon, gently swirl through all layers of cheesecake batter without disturbing crust to achieve a marbled effect.

Place cheesecake in center of middle oven rack. Position a baking pan filled halfway with hot water on lower rack.

Bake 15 minutes, then lower oven temperature to 300 degrees F. and bake approximately another 60 to 70 minutes or until edges are light brown and center is almost set. There should be no wet spots or liquid areas in the center of the cheesecake. Remember that a cheesecake continues to cook when it is removed from the oven.

How to tell when cheesecake is done cooking: The cheesecake is done when center is almost set, but jiggles slightly when gently shaken. For a perfect cheesecake, use a cooking thermometer and take it out of the oven when the cheesecake reaches 150 degrees F. at the center to avoid over baking. Expect a slight shrinkage as it cools. If there is great shrinkage, you have baked it at too high a heat.

When the cheesecake is done cooking, turn the oven off. Let cake stand in oven, with door ajar, approximately 30 minutes or until center is completely set.

How to prevent cracks in your cheesecake: When the internal temperature of a cheesecake rises beyond 160 degrees F. while baking, it will always crack. To prevent this from happening, use an instant-read cooking thermometer to test its doneness. Take it out of the oven when the cheesecake reaches 150 degrees F. at the center to avoid over baking.

This is the type of cooking and meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking. I get many readers asking what cooking/meat thermometer that I prefer and use in my cooking and baking. I, personally, use the Thermapen Thermometer shown in the photo on the right. To learn more about this excellent thermometer and to also purchase one (if you desire), just click on the underlined: Thermapen Thermometer.

NOTE: A wonderful looking baked cheesecake (with no cracks), can crack as it sits on the cooling rack because the cake shrank during cooling and clung to the sides of the springform pan. To avoid this from happening, cool the cheesecake for only a few minutes, and then, using a paring knife, free it from the sides of the pan before allowing it to cool completely. If a crack should appear, simply blend together some sour cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract; spread over the top of the cooled cheesecake when ready to serve.

Cool cheesecake completely on a wire rack before refrigerating. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours before cutting (the cheesecake will solidify to a perfect consistency during this time). To serve, slide a small knife around edges of cake to loosen it and remove sides of the springform pan; transfer onto a cake plate.

Carmen Carter

This was my first cheesecake and it turned out perfectly !! I made it for a friend’s 50th bday party and everyone loved it, even those who weren’t ‘fussy’ about cheesecake had seconds. Instead of using graham crackers with the gingersnap for the bottom, I used all gingersnap. That was the only change I made. I loved the advice on how to stop your cheesecake from cracking, etc. And, it worked!! I did not have one crack in my cheesecake. Thanks so much!

Jenny

My husband made this cheesecake and it was the best I’ve ever had. I don’t normally like cheesecake bc it’s usually dense and stiff or dry, but this was awesome….pumpkin taste was maybe even better the next day or two. Amazingly it’s not too sweet!

Alicia

Alicia, if you have a pan big enough to place you springform and are sure your springform is very well sealed, then place it IN the water bath. I find it easier to place the pan with water on the rack below, there is less of a chance of water seepage.

Bessie

Sheila

Misty

I love this recipe. This will be my second thanksgiving making it. Last year i made a huge pan and the whole thing was Gone! Thank you for all the technical tips. I love the detail you put into this post.

Dianne

I tried it this Thanksgiving and it was wonderful. Thanks I have been looking for a pumpkin recipe that was not so strong with pumpkin and this fit the bill. Yes you know it is pumpkin but the rich and smooth texture just made the cheesecake delicious. I will certainly do it again. Only had one piece left and yes I ate it after all my quests had gone home and I could sit down and enjoy this wonderful dessert. Thanks